4 FM quick reads on elevator1. Facility Managers Can Help To Lessen Stress Of Elevator Stranding

I'm Justin Smith, managing editor of web development for Building Operating Management magazine. Today's tip: keeping a cool head while trapped in an elevator. Once in a lifetime. Those are a person's odds of being stuck in an elevator, according to the Hometown Life newspaper in Detroit. With 700,000 elevators in the United States and 120 billion elevator rides per year, you may not know when it's your turn to get stuck, but facility managers can help soften the shock by communicating a few simple tips. These can help tenants, users or even yourself should the situation occur. First, don't panic. Remember that there is enough air inside. Locate the emergency call button or use a cell phone to call for help. Never attempt to open the doors yourself - the elevator may begin moving again at any time. Wait until a mechanic arrives to open the door for you. And don't worry about the cable snapping - many systems have redundant cables to protect against falling. With these short reminders, managers can prevent long headaches later.

2. Check ASME Codes Before A Full-Scale Elevator Modernization

I'm Justin Smith, managing editor of web development for Building Operating Management magazine. Today's tip: elevator modernization. How can facility managers tell whether they should opt for a simple repair or a full-scale modernization? Start with codes. One resource is the National Elevator Code: American Society of Mechanical Engineers, A17.1. First, determine which version of the code is in effect. Some jurisdictions operate under code editions that may be 10 or more years old. Second, consider exactly what modernization means. It is critical to evaluate your system needs to determine if a simple repair will provide you with improved operation, or if a complete modernization will be required. Finally, consider that elevator upgrades can affect other building systems, like electrical or HVAC. If an elevator modernization is designed by the elevator company, the impact on the facility can be significant. With some planning, the upgrade process can be as smooth as possible.

3. FMs Should Brush Up On Local Elevator Inspection Standards

Most people probably consider elevators convenient, but one professor at the University of Rhode Island recently experienced anything but. Associate Professor of Sociology Barbara Costello entered an elevator in a campus building on Thursday, March 11, but instead of carrying her to her destination, the elevator began to bounce up and down in place, according to the school's student newspaper. The doors of the elevator opened about two minutes later, but the situation is hardly uncommon on the campus. In a February 2009 article from the student paper, it was reported that 36 out of 64 elevators did not fully meet fire and safety codes, 18 required modifications, 12 were ineligible for new inspection certificates and six were completely non-compliant with state codes. University officials say the affected elevators have now either been fixed, or are scheduled for inspection. Facility managers around the country can take a cue from this situation and refresh themselves on the codes and standards that govern elevators in their facility, since the guidelines for frequency of inspection can be international, national, state, regional or city-based. Doing a little leg work now can prevent a sticky situation later.

4. Elevators And Energy Use

In a multi-tenant building where each tenant pays for his or her own energy costs, it's not unusual for the elevator system to be the largest user of energy in the base building. This is especially true in older high-rise buildings in large cities.

Fortunately, elevator modernizations can reduce the energy use. Regenerative drives are the norm on modern systems, but they can be retrofitted to many older systems too. In a regenerative drive, the braking action against the counterweight during ascent, and against the loaded cab during descent, is fed back into the building to power other systems. Regenerative drives can improve the efficiency of existing systems by an average of 40 percent, manufacturers say.

Other steps include replacing in-cab lighting to be more energy efficient and retrofitting older incandescent bulbs and illuminated call buttons with money-saving LED units.

You can also consider a modernization that puts the cab in hibernation mode when it's not being used. Think of it as an occupancy sensor for the elevator — when it's not in use, the lights and fans are shut down.